The Hindu : New chief for Western Air Command

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 21, 2002

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New chief for Western Air Command

By Our Special Correspondent

Air Marshal A.R. Ghandhi

NEW DELHI MAY 20. With war clouds hovering, the Indian Air Force today named Air Marshal A. R. Ghandhi as Chief of the Western Air Command. A war hero, Air Marshal Ghandhi has served at the senior Air Staff Officer at the Western as well as the adjoining Southwestern Air Command.

The post of Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the crucial Western Air Command was vacant for about a month after the previous incumbent, Air Marshal V. K. Bhatia, was shifted to the Air Headquarters.

The command will play a pivotal role in air operations on the western border. Its area of operations extends from the uppermost northern areas in Jammu and Kashmir to Ganganagar in Rajasthan.

Air Marshal Ghandhi was awarded the Vir Chakra for having shot down a Pakistani F-86 Sabre aircraft over north India in the `65 war. He flew MiG-21s during the `71 operations and has commanded a base operating the Mirage 2000.

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